Anyone interested in this discussion about TESOL-related investments?
With the proviso that we invest in what we know… how’s about some ideas for a TESOL-related portfolio?
Pearson appealed to me…
We lead our markets in quality, innovation and in profitability, and bring together some of the most valuable brands in publishing: the Financial Times, Penguin, Dorling Kindersley, Scott Foresman, Prentice Hall, Addison Wesley and Longman. From our roots as the world’s largest book publisher, we’ve grown to provide a range of related services: testing and learning software for student of all ages; data for financial institutions; public information systems for government departments.
Yes, actually, I thought it would be a goofy idea to put together a TESOL p/f and then backtrack its performance. I’m looking for likely candidates.
But since TESOL/TEFL isn’t really a recognised area in investment yet, I thought we’d have to create our selection of companies based on our knowledge of their involvment in TESOL/TEFL.
It’s goofy, I’ll admit, but then I dunno, let’s see the results!
In one real sense I’m completely invested in the ESL business. I’d be better off diversifying. If you make your living from it then it’s a big investment.
And people spend huge money on it. All of Pearsons other business is underwritten by the selling of kids English teaching materials. It is the same at Oxford. That is the problem with investing in such a company. You might think you are buying into an ELT publisher, but really they publish a lot of other marginal less profitable stuff. If they were exclusive publishes of some successful texts they’d probably be great companies to buy.
Not so long ago in both Japan and Taiwan (and of course even now) when these economies were in a downturn, English teaching was the most successful business. That’s more successful than car companies and tech. firms. It is relatively recession proof. When kids come to my school their parents falk out the equivalent of buying two new computers a year. It’s quite an expense and there’d be plenty of schools where the parents would be paying plenty more.